A State that defends the weak, Wardship.

Wardship – Any citizen may surrender themselves to the care of the State in exchange for provisioning.

Within the first quarter of any year in which someone will become eligible, a citizen of the United States, OR, an authorized legal resident, may apply for a Wardship. There are two classes of wardship, one is a Protectorate, the other is as an Indigent.

Protectorate: an at-risk individual, defined as anyone with a debilitating mental illness or physical handicap, or of retirement age or a legal minor, who is seeking State guardianship.

Indigence: someone who avails themselves as property of the State, in exchange for provisioning,

Anyone who qualifies as a “child” or “elder,” here defined as legal minors and people of legal retirement age, respectively, and anyone with a medical certification as either a physical invalid or suffering from permanent mental derangement, and anyone otherwise unable to make rational decisions on their own behalf due to a legally-recognized complication (listed in Schedule 1,) may elect to enter a Protectorate, or may be offered to (in cases where decision-making skills are sufficiently impaired, a state-recognized guardian or legal representative, listed in Schedule 2, may make this decision on their behalf,) elect a Protector. In this case, a committee will be convened, and a panel of adjudicators can either accept or appoint a Protector to the individual. If a Protectorate is approved, the state will provide housing, healthcare, access to a State-sponsored cafeteria, and all legally-defined Basic Human Services (including, but not limited to, essential utilities, legal and tax services, and all other provisions defined in Schedule A.) An allowance will also be given to the Protector, to be used exclusively on behalf of the Ward, as discretionary spending.

Also, anyone may also surrender themselves to the state as an Indigent. An Indigent will enter into a contract with the State lasting 2, 5, or 10 years. This contract may be renewed an indefinite number of times. As an Indigent, a person will be provided all services afforded a Protectorate. That is, housing, healthcare, access to State-sponsored cafeterias, and Basic Human Services, as well as a discretionary allowance.

During this period of Indigence, the Ward must report no fewer than 4 times a week to a State-sanctioned Volunteer outpost, where they will be assigned to a labor task fitting of their skills and physical capabilities. A ward may not be provided to the military, National Guard, or other protective service. If a draft is in effect, a ward may be stationed in a military-related, non-combat position in place of selective service, but will not be considered part of the military and will receive no benefits there granted. A ward may seek exemption from Volunteering if they can prove employment with a State-approved job provider. A ward may also seek exemption if they can prove full-time enrollment in an institution of higher-learning or a trade school. A ward may also seek exemption if they can prove enrollment in a religious seminary or monastic program.

Four times, yearly, a ward must submit to mandatory medical screenings, which will include a physical examination, bloodwork to test vital bodily measurements, and a urine drug screening. Wards are obligated to follow all medical procedures resulting from these screenings. Positive drug results do NOT preclude a ward from receiving Indigent care. In the case of a positive drug screening, the ward will be required to attend weekly support meetings run by a State-certified drug and addiction counselor, and will be randomly tested every 30-day period following. After three consecutive clean drug screenings over a minimum of 90 days, the ward is no longer mandated to attend these meetings.

Once, monthly, a ward will also be required to hold a useful meeting with a State-sanctioned guidance counselor. During these meetings, the ward will be required to provide a personal status update, as well as fill out any necessary legal paperwork (ballots, surveys, taxes, registration documents, and all other paperwork listed in Schedule B.)

Upon entering into Wardship, all financial assets, and any possessions of significant monetary value (exemptions to this, such as commuter vehicles, trade tools, and assets of justifiable sentimental value, are listed in Schedule C) are forfeit to the state. The State will purchase all outstanding debt (at capital cost, not including the value of interest) the ward is currently obligated to. While a ward, a portion of discretionary allowance will be diverted to repayment, not to exceed 10% of the total allowance payment. Upon exiting wardship, a garnishment, not to exceed 10% of take-home pay, will be applied to any earnings, until the debt is paid down. Once entering into a wardship, the rights to any debt-forgiveness and loan-assistance programs (unless stated in the exemption list found in Schedule D,) are forfeit.

Following a 10-year contract of Indigence, if a ward is a legal resident, a felon, from a US Territory, or otherwise does not possess the full rights of a legal US Citizen, they may apply for Clean Slate status no more than twice in a calendar year. A board of adjudicators will be appointed, and if the case is approved, the applicant will be issued a new identity with full citizenship and will have all criminal offenses purged from their record (some charges will persist in a sealed criminal record, such as rape and murder convictions, but may only be referenced during State and legal proceedings. A full list of exemptions appears in Schedule E.) Debt acquired prior to, or during, Indigence will be passed on to the new identity.

While in an Indigent care housing facility, the ward must comply with all etiquette and code of conduct rules defined by the care provider. A ward may, at any time, seek exemption from any rule, given extenuating circumstances, from the Departments of Wardship. Likewise, indigents in a care facility may appeal to the facilities Board of Conduct for modification and refinement of policy. In such case, a simple-majority vote will be taken. The Board may veto all policy requests, in which case a 2/3 majority can overturn this ruling and force decision on policy, unless it directly violates mandates set by the Department of Wardship.

All wards will continue to receive the constitutional liberties that would have been traditionally afforded to them before they entered wardship (special restrictions may apply and are listed in Schedule F,) except in the case of non-citizens who have entered into a 10-year contract, where they will be given immunity to any policy impugning their immigration status (exemptions to this, such as in the case of a ward convicted of a violent crime, can be found in Schedule G.)